Trump Issues Heartfelt Tribute After Butler Man Dies

older man smiling at an outdoor event — Photo: Marie Kanger Born / Shutterstock

Two years after taking bullets at Butler, Jim Copenhaver died — and President Trump’s tribute cut through the noise.

Story Snapshot

Jim Copenhaver, 76, died in September 2026 after being shot at the July 2024 Butler rally.
Pennsylvania State Police identified him as a victim the day after the shooting.
His family, through counsel, confirmed his death and date of passing.
Leaders linked his death to complications from those wounds; the examiner review was pending.

A wounding in Butler, a two-year fight, a final goodbye

Reporters first learned his name on July 14, 2024. Pennsylvania State Police listed “James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township” among those shot at the Butler rally and said he was in stable condition. The word “stable” masked the damage done. Friends said the bullets tore his torso and left fragments that doctors could not remove easily. Mobility slipped. Nerves misfired. He used a cane and rebuilt his days around pain and limits, not plans.

On September 23, 2026, the long fight ended. His family released a statement through attorney Joseph A. Feldman saying Copenhaver died “surrounded by his loved ones”. Major outlets confirmed his passing and placed it in the same chain of events that began in Butler. They reported he died in a Pittsburgh hospital after two hard years of recovery and complications that never let go.

Public leaders connect the dots while the file closes

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said Copenhaver died due to complications from the wounds he suffered at the rally. House Republican leaders voiced the same link, calling him “gravely wounded” in Butler and honoring his courage. The consistency matters. Different voices, same through-line: a violent act in 2024 set the course for a death in 2026. One brief caveat remains on paperwork; the Allegheny County medical examiner noted the cause and manner of death were pending review at the time of reporting.

Newsrooms gave the basic facts first, then filled in the man. NBC News and ABC News reported his age, the date of death, and the family confirmation. They also described the lasting injuries: colon damage, nerve issues, and the slow grind of daily care. The picture was not abstract. It was a body changed by gunfire and a life that narrowed, month by month, under the strain of recovery.

What “pending” means, and why the story still stands

Medical examiner offices often mark deaths “pending” while they finish records, police reports, or tests. That step does not erase the timeline; it pauses the formality. Offices in major counties explain that pending cases return with final details once the review ends, and that amended death certificates follow after that official entry. For families, the human story moves faster than the stamp. For the public, clear reporting and named sources guide understanding while the file closes.

President Trump is mourning the death of Jim Copenhaver, who was wounded during the 2024 assassination attempt at Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Trump called Copenhaver a “true American Patriot” and praised his bravery and strength following the shooting. Trump also… pic.twitter.com/MBDQsg0gW2

— One America News (@OANN) September 25, 2026

American conservatives see straight lines here. Violence has costs that can stretch over years. Law and order calls us to track those costs and honor those who bear them. Copenhaver went to a rally, practiced his civic voice, and paid with his health and, in time, his life. Leaders who linked his death to his wounds did so with care and with facts that align across outlets and official statements.

Trump’s tribute and the echo of “Fight, fight, fight”

President Trump saluted Copenhaver’s courage and spirit, echoing a line that defined that chaotic day: fight, fight, fight. The words land harder now. They frame a citizen who kept going through surgeries, therapy, and frustration. Gratitude comes easy in moments like this, but it should not be cheap. It should drive a sober respect for public safety, quick interdiction of threats, and systems that stand by victims long after the cameras leave.